Rainbow in Black and White
by sheens142
Summary: SasuNaru There comes a time when one must decide between desire and duty. For Sasuke, that time is fast approaching. But will he protect the person he loves most, when that person is plotting his own destruction?
1. Background Sketch

**A/N: **I am no longer a NaruSasu writer virgin! Yes! if that opening sentence didn't scare u off, plz continue reading.

Summary: Naruto is a newcomer at the most elite private school in Japan, with a mysterious past. Sasuke is the resident king of the school, and is the leader of a powerful gang, named Chikara (or power). When their class gets marooned on an island, there are suddenly mysterious disappearances, and it's clear not all is at is seems. What do you do when you realise you can't trust anyone, least of all those close to you...? NaruSasu.

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. (Really, i mean it. -shakes fist at imaginary readers-)

* * *

**C** h a p t e r **O **n e: **B **a c k g r o u n d **S** k e t c h

* * *

_"We were strangers  
Starting out on a journey  
Never dreaming  
What we'd have to go through  
Now here we are  
And I'm suddenly standing  
At the beginning with you"_

_- At the Beginning, Anastasia_

* * *

Pitter- patter pitter- patter pitter-patter…

The rain continued to pound against the cold hard ground, heedless to the pain of a certain boy crouched down near the gutter. He was panting heavily, oblivious to the steady red trickle erupting out of several gashes on his arms, legs and head. All he could focus on was the torrent of emotions wreaking havoc inside his chest.

There was sorrow. Sorrow about those that he would never see again. Regret. Regret that he didn't do anything to stop it from happening. Anger. Anger at the ones who had done it. Last of all, there was fear. Would they come for him, too?

If they were to find him now, he knew that he would not stand a chance. It had taken all he had to escape, there was nothing left.

Just as the boy thought this, he heard the gentle screech as a black car stopped on the road right in front of him. He watched, paralysed, as a tall, cloaked figure got out of the car with an umbrella and started to walk towards him.

The figure extended a gloved hand towards the boy.

"Remember this. There will always be hope for those that are brave enough to look for it."

The boy slowly extended his own hand and finally grasped onto the gloved one, allowing himself to be pulled up and ushered inside the car.

The torrent of emotions seemed to have subsided.

But the anger remained.

* * *

**10 years later.**

It was another bright morning for the students of Konoha High Elite Private School.

Though perhaps today was a bit louder than usual. After all, the students were meeting each other after 2 months of winter holidays. The loud drabble of girls could be heard discussing who'd got the best tan at their parents' estates in Hawaii. A large group of guys were standing together in the centre of the courtyard, checking out who'd broken the most bones skiing in the Alps. Couples who'd been separated for the holidays were making up for lost time and snogging up against Konoha's walls, ignoring the constant screams from teachers telling them to "Have some decency! What kind of example are you setting for the freshman?!". The kids of major businessmen were on their cellphones and laptops, speaking quickly about why stocks weren't higher. Groups of nerds, dorks and geeks, who were too scared to gather near the others, had congregated in one of the Maths classrooms, discussing who'd been to the best Computer Camp & who'd beat their high score at Warcraft.

All in all, a typical first day for the richest teenagers in Japan.

"I can't wait until he shows up! He'll _have _to love me now, look how even my tan is!" cried a girl.

Another one snorted. "You look like a lobster. Besides, we all know he's secretly been pining for _me!_"

A guy shook his head in disgust. "Have you both forgot about his little girlfriend? Just try and get near him while that bitch is arou- ah!! What'd you do that for Lee?" he screamed, rubbing his shoulder where he'd just been punched.

"Don't talk about Sakura that way! She is the most beautiful creature ever to grace the Earth! And her forehead is so big and kissable!" proclaimed a boy with freakily round black eyes, a bowl haircut and really bushy eyebrows.

"You guys really shouldn't be so loud…don't forget who they are." Whispered a boy. He looked up suddenly. "Look, it's Gaara. They're here."

The objects of their discussion chose that moment to walk through the vintage iron gates of Konoha High. Leading the procession was a tall red haired guy with ruby red hair and dark outlined eyes. He had a piercing in his lip. He wore the school's grey Ralph Lauren trousers, the hems covering half of his black Gucci loafers. He had a Lonsdale bag thrown casually across his shoulders, his hands thrust deep into his trouser pockets. Behind him was a boy with his hair messily scrunched up into a ponytail. He had both ears pierced, and walked with both his arms behind his head, one eye open. He didn't wear a tie, and wore standard black school shoes, designer though they were. All he carried was a classic Burberry schoolbag. As far as the students could remember, he had always dressed like this. When asked why he didn't make use of his good looks and dress up a little, he replied lazily "How troublesome." Next to him was a pretty girl with sandy blonde hair so pale it could have been white, swept up into a high ponytail with a few bangs framing her face. She wore the school's Prada skirt, the hem 2 inches above her knees. She wore black flats. A purple-washed Prada bag was enclosed in her fingers.

Behind this girl was a guy with a loose school jersey on. His messy brown hair wasn't made into any particular style, but this seemed to suit him, giving him that sexy I-woke-up-like-this-and-I-still-look-hot look. A dog was walking next to him, wearing a diamond-studded collar. Closing the parade was a tall guy, wearing the school's grey pants dangerously low on his hips, showing off his physique. He wore a limited edition of Air Jordan's, and it was rumoured that the designer himself had personally gifted them to him. He wore his shirt untucked and a Ralph Lauren blazer, the sleeves rolled up to reveal subtly muscled arms and a Gucci watch. His black hair was on the longish side, messily styled with a few bangs hanging down onto his face. Many of the male students had tried to achieve this look, but somehow nobody had ever learnt to master it. He had many piercings on his ears, 3 in one and 2 in the other. He had deep obsidian eyes, and full, soft looking lips that were right now forming a well-practised smirk. On his arm hung a girl with bright bubble gum hair, though he seemed to pay no attention to her. She, like the pale haired girl, wore the school's Prada skirt, but hers was a good few inches shorter. She carried a new season Fendi bag, and had her school blouse unbuttoned to her chest. Her blue eyes roamed over all the other students, and she too seemed to be smirking.

As was procedure by now, the other students couldn't help but gravitate towards this elite group. As always, the Fangirls were the first to lose control.

"Sasuke! How were your holidays?"

"Would you like to sit with me in class today, Kiba?"

"MARRY ME SHIKAMARU!"

"Sasuke! Sasuke! I love you!"

And so it continued, until the FanBOYS joined in.

Suddenly, the crowd's voices were drowned out by the ear splitting ring of the school bell.

* * *

"Holy shit, I'm late!" 

Frantically, the boy slammed his hand down on his froggy alarm clock, cursing rather colourfully at it. He raced into the bathroom and tried to brush his teeth while simultaneously stripping to get into the shower. It wasn't really working out.

"Ouuuuch!" he yelled as the boiling hot water splashed onto his body. Wiping himself off, he grabbed the brand new school shirt, tie and shorts from his wardrobe and hastily dressed himself. Grabbing his bag, he was about to walk out the door, when he heard a deep rumbling in his stomach. Oh man…he really couldn't leave without breakfast, could he? Maybe just one slice of toast…No! He shook his head and with great self-restraint, ran out the door.

Thankfully, Konoha High was just a few blocks away from his house.

Panting, the boy finally reached the huge iron gates. He looked up at the school, towering above him. And looked. And looked. It was incredible. Time seemed to stand still as he entered the main courtyard. Cherry blossom trees were just coming into bloom, pink buds slowly emerging. Life size chess boards were in one corner, picnic benches and even several gazebos littered the huge ground. Walking into the administration building, he glanced out a window that overlooked the centre of the school. Football fields, basketball courts, a golf course and a horse-riding paddock were all visible. The boy sucked in his breath. He sure wasn't in Kansas anymore.

"Oh, hello. Are you Naruto Uzumaki?" came the question from a blonde woman with a green necklace and a rather sizeable bust.

Naruto nodded. "Pleased to meet you."

"Welcome to Konoha High Elite Private School! I'm Tsunade, your school principal. If you need any help to get settled in, my office is right over there." She said, pointing round a corner. "Just go up to the administration office, and they'll give you your timetable for all your classes. Well, good luck." Tsunade finished, privately adding _you're going to need it._

"Arigatou!" Naruto inclined his head and turned to his left; the Administration office.

"Hi, how may I help y—" began the lazy drawl from the office receptionist, looking over from her computer screen. She suddenly paused, and Naruto had the vaguely uncomfortable sensation of being x-rayed up and down. The receptionist suddenly became a lot more attentive, swirling her chair around to face him, her hand under her chin and a smile playing at her coloured lips. "What would you like, sweetie?"

He didn't think he wanted to know what was behind the sudden change in attitude.

"My name's Naruto Uzumaki, and today's my first day—"

"Ah! Well, I hope you enjoy your time here, Konoha's a brilliant school. The most influential people in Japan all have strong ties with the school, making it the most prestigious in the country." She swivelled her chair around once more, reaching up to a long white shelf above her desk. There she sifted through numerous files, before snapping her fingers and taking one down.

"Uzumaki, Naruto. Senior. 16 yrs old." She peered at him as she handed him the file. "You're a senior, and you're only 16?"

Naruto shifted uncomfortably. "Ano…you see, I was shifted up a few years in my old school. My teachers thought a higher class might be better for me."

The receptionist nodded. "Well, there's your timetable…right now, you have Advanced English. Your teacher's name is Gai." She seemed to find this highly amusing for some reason.

"Ok, thanks." Naruto said, turning away from her.

"Oh, and Naruto?"

He jerked his head back to her.

"Be careful here." She said, swirling back to her computer.

Naruto blinked. What did she mean?

He reached into the file and took out the copy of the school map. It took him several minutes to find E12, his advanced english room, on the huge sheet of paper. Groaning, he looked at his watch, crossing his fingers that his first teacher was a major pushover.

* * *

"Hmmm, Ad English first, huh?" grinned the boy with the dog. "Not bad for a first period. I've missed old Gai sensei." 

"Speak for yourself Kiba. Remember how he made us write that 10 page essay on the joys of youth?" groaned the blonde girl.

Kiba let out a bark of laughter. "Oh yeah! I also remember that you and Lee were the only ones who actually did it, Ino."

"Fuck you, dog breath." Ino glared at him from under her bang.

"Come on guys, you've been here for what, 5 minutes, and you're already trying to off each other." Sakura said, obviously bored.

They filed into the large classroom, taking their usual seats at the 2nd back row. All except for Gaara. He sat with another guy at the back of the room. This guy had black hair and always wore black sunglasses; everyone besides Gaara was too scared to be around him.

"Hey Shino." Gaara said in his icy voice.

"Hello Gaara." Shino waved, a startlingly violet beetle dangling from the tip of his finger.

"What's that one?"

"Meet Isabelle. One of the last remaining Bikouchuu beetles from the Guranh region. My dad found it when Aburame went exploring there last week." Shino replied. "So, did Chikara do anything in the winter?"

Gaara looked at him, unblinking. "We had to take care of some business up north. Some people who thought they could get away without paying what they owed us. Sasuke sent me with the Black Ops, we tracked them down, hiding in mountain caves."

"Did they pay up?"

Gaara shook his head slowly. "No."

What he didn't say lingered in the air.

"Gaara." Came a cool drawl from the seat in front of him. "It probably isn't the best idea to share information like that…"

Gaara turned towards the voice, and was met with a pair of deep obsidian eyes. He nodded. "My mistake, Sasuke."

"Word around school is, we're getting a new student today." Said the boy with the ponytail.

"Really Shikamaru?" asked Sakura, wondering if the new student was a potential threat to her relationship with Sasuke.

"Don't worry, Sakura. It's a boy. Apparently orphaned. No big background. Was taken in by someone with a lot of dough, and has been moving schools since he was a kid." Shikamaru continued.

Everyone exchanged looks.

"Whoever he is, he must have _some_ high connections. I mean, not just anybody can get into Konoha, especially in the senior year." Ino said out loud, voicing what they were all thinking.

Konoha High was an elite school for a reason. It wasn't easy to get granted a position here. Many millionaires had to place their kids on waiting lists for years before finally being offered a place. What mattered at Konoha, even more so than money (and this in itself was a big ask, with school fees in the hundred thousands), were social background, class & connections.

One thing was for sure; whoever this new kid was, he had to be big.

Just then, a large figure strode into the classroom.

The class cringed, as they looked him up and down. He wore what looked like a green spandex bodysuit, which sagged at the buttocks. His hair resembled a big black bowl and his eyebrows black caterpillars. When he got to the middle of the room, he extended his thumb and gave them all a huge WINK. His teeth sparkled scarily.

"I hope that you have all had a great winter, full as you all are of jubilant youth!" he bellowed at them all.

"GAI SENSEI! I did indeed have a very positive winter, and my youth bloomed forth like a new cherry blossom, allowing me to cherish each falling snowdrop as though I would never see such beauty again!" announced Lee, wearing a green spandex bodysuit suspiciously like Gai's.

Gai looked at Lee for a moment, and then broke into tears. They flowed freely down his face like twin waterfalls, and his fist was raised in the air.

"LEE! Your beautiful displays of your undying youth never fail to move me to tears!"

"GAI SENSEI!" cried Lee, running to embrace him.

"LEE!" cried Gai, hugging Lee, who by now also had tears falling from his round cartoon- ish eyes.

They stood there for several minutes, the sobs punctuated by occasional screams of "Lee!" "Gai!" and "youth!".

Sasuke sat in his seat, eyes drifting over the comical scene, which occurred every week between these two. He smirked, watching as Kiba urged his dog, Akamaru, to go and break up the reunion.

For the second time, a figure appeared at the door of E12. Though this time, it was the newcomer who cringed.

Sasuke shifted slightly in his seat, eyes grazing over this person. _The new student…_The boy stood at the door, unsure of what to do. He imagined Gai and Lee weren't helping matters.

The boy had shocking blonde hair, uncombed and falling haphazardly onto his face. It was the eyes that fascinated him the most, rippling pools of cerulean. The boy had a scar across one cheek, and Sasuke had the sudden urge to stroke it. He wore a half sleeved shirt, rolled up to reveal toned arms. A tie was loosely slung around his collar, which remained unbuttoned to the top of his chest. His shirt was untucked over the school's grey shorts, causing Sasuke to smile. No senior wore shorts. But this kid pulled it off.

* * *

Naruto paused at the door to the classroom, hand still raised in a knocking position, unsure of how to handle the situation. His first instinct was: run. Somehow, escaped mental patients had sought refuge in his Advanced English room. Then he glanced down at his student handbook. Under the list of teachers, there was the name "Gai"…and next to it was a photo of a bizarre looking man winking at the camera. Naruto lowered the handbook, and the bizarre man was in front of him, hugging a boy who eerily resembled him. There was also a dog barking wildly, apparently trying to separate the couple. 

Naruto coughed loudly, and turned to the other students for help. He couldn't help but notice as he did so that every pair of eyes was on him, raking up and down his body. He lifted his hand to ruffle his hair, and noticed a boy in the 2nd last row of the classroom. Deep ebony locks framed a pale face, making his eyes even more noticeable. They were like twin coals staring back at him. Unexpectedly, a rush of blood went to Naruto's face, and he watched in despair as this brought a smirk to the older boy's face. Crap.

"Gai sensei! There's somebody at the door." Said a girl in the front row finally.

Gai let Lee go immediately, and bounded over to embrace Naruto in a bear hug. "Hello! What brings you here? Were you perhaps eager to join in our celebration of youth?"

"N-nmph!" the boy managed to get out from under Gai's embrace, "I'm new to the school."

"Oh, how wonderful! A bright new spark of youth to join our class! Why don't you introduce yourself?"

Naruto nodded. He wished Gai would've been one of those teachers who wouldn't have cared less, and had just let him sit down in silence. The two minutes to come could make or break him: everything was going to be judged; from his looks to his voice in these two nerve wracking minutes.

"Um. Well. My name's Naruto Uzamaki and I'm new here." _Well that's a great start, just repeat the obvious why don't cha?_ He sighed.

"I've actually never been to a school like this before. At my old place, there were only about 30 kids in the whole school. So, um. Yeah…" Naruto wondered if his cheeks would ever go back to their normal colour after this.

"What do your parents do?" said a boy with glasses, quite rudely.

"I…" _how to explain this?_ "I don't live with my parents. They died when I was 6. I'm staying in an apartment right now."

"What? By yourself?" asked a girl, shocked.

Naruto nodded. "But the man who took me in looks after me. He saved me." He said suddenly, lifting his head up. The classroom seemed to hold its breath, salivating for more. Most of them had never been through a day of real hardship in their lives, and thought this sort of tragedy was restricted to movies. And the poor.

There was a loud sob from the corner of the room; Gai sensei had started to cry once more. "That…was…so BEAUTIFUL!" he cried out. Apparently unable to form any more sentences, he gestured towards the row of desks, apparently urging Naruto to sit down. The only available seats were in the front and back rows. Picking up his bag, Naruto automatically began walking to the back of the room. _Get away from the sobbing teacher, and all will be ok_.

At the back row, there were two seats. One was next to a boy with shocking red hair; the other was next to a boy playing with a beetle. Breathing out slowly, he placed his bag down next to the redhead. As he sat down, he felt eyes boring into him from his side. Lifting his gaze, he found himself staring back at the boy. The redhead seemed to be glaring at Naruto, who had no idea why. He was certain he had never seen the boy in his life.

So why was he looking at him as though he recognised _him_?

* * *

The bell finally sounded for the end of the period. At once, there was a scurry of bags and books as everybody hurried to get out of the classroom. Kiba, Shikamaru and Gaara were about to stand up, but were stayed by a brief hand movement from Sasuke. Ino raised her eyebrows expectantly, and then followed Sakura out of the room. She knew better than to interfere. 

Sasuke's eyes followed a certain blonde as he exited the room too, frowning eyes peeled on the map in front of him, mouthing the words "Geography of the Americas- Room HSIE 11". He almost smiled, but then turned back to the matter at hand.

"What is it Sasuke?" asked Shikamaru, for once not looking as though he was going to drift off to sleep at any minute.

"New kid. What do you think?" it seemed an innocent enough question.

"Naruto? He seems alright." Kiba stated, and then let out a bark of laughter. "He'll get eaten alive here though. I could see half the class undressing him mentally as soon as he walked through the door. Me included." He added as an afterthought.

Shikamaru was staring at Sasuke. "You mean about his story, don't you?"

Sasuke nodded. _Sharp as ever_.

"It was too neat." Shikamaru continued. "His parents die, he gets saved by a stranger. And not just any stranger, but one who gives him his own apartment and can get him into Konoha."

"Exactly what I was thinking." Said Sasuke. "There's something missing there."

Gaara growled, "What are you thinking Sasuke?"

Sasuke stood up with his bag slung over his shoulder and walked out. He didn't reply.

Kiba sighed. "We know what that means. The paranoid bastard's telling us to watch our backs."

* * *

**A/N: **ok, there was the first chapter! 

i tried to end it on a cliffhanger, i hope it was ok .. if you have any q's, review/ pm me, and i'll try to answer them, coz this story might get a wee bit confuzzling. other than that, i hope you liked it!

To come in the next chapter (probably):

What /who exactly _is_ Chikara?

How will Naruto and Sasuke get along? (nb: i am gonna try my beeeeesssttt to make good yaoi bwteen them, but it might take a while for things to heat up. Unless i'm in a smutty mood when i write. Then u may just find a random citrus here or there )

If i can manage it: enter Itachi. enter Kakashi. enter Akatsuki.

Anyway, last of all, i hope u guys review! It gives me that fuzzy feeling i can only otherwise get from copious amounts of alcohol. Or seeing L (deathnote) eat cake.


	2. Blurry Outlines

**A/N:** Chapter 2 is finally up! woooo! i actually started it a while ago, but for sum reason it took me ages to write. well, here it finally is, anyway. :)

Special thnx to all of u who reviewed/ alerted/ fav'd this so far! -glomps-

Disclaimer: Not mine, except for general plot (though that too may subconsciously have been ripped off tv shows or sumthing..um. anyways.)

Warnings: Lime at the end (sadly not yaoi), minor course language.

**C **h a p t e r **T** w o: **B **l u r r y **O **u t l i n e s

* * *

_"I have been waiting all of my life  
for you to come along  
My body is shaking right through my bones,  
And I wonder if you know just how I feel, I feel. And I wonder how I know if this is real."_

_- Save Me, Darren Styles_

* * *

"And that concludes our lesson on the impacts of communism throughout central Europe." Said a dreary, elderly looking woman in a monotone from the front of the room. Suddenly, the bell rang, and she had barely managed to get out "And don't forget! Bring your textbooks tomorrow for our study on the impacts of capitalism in the modern world!" before the entirety of the class had run out of the room, desperate to get to lunch.

Among this throng of students was a petit 16-year-old boy, with hair the colour of summer sunflowers and eyes of deep cerulean. His sunflower hair was at this moment thoroughly ruffled and sticking up in all directions, due to the fact that he had been nervously running his hands through it all day. Adorned on his face was a nonplussed expression as he gazed down at a map of his new school, wondering where the hell he was meant to go for his lunch break.

"Naruto!"

The boy named Naruto turned around to see who had called him. Much to his surprise, and chagrin, the caller seemed to be a tall boy wearing a green spandex bodysuit. Naruto cudgelled his brains for a name.

"Rock Lee…" he finally answered.

"Hello Naruto, I do hope that I am not disturbing you. I merely noticed that you seem to be having some difficulty in finding our fair school's cafeteria. Would you like me to show you to it?" Lee said the whole thing in one eager breath, eyes staring unblinkingly down at the blonde.

Not seeing any way out, Naruto nodded.

"Excellent!" cried Lee, swinging his arm around Naruto's neck and leading him down a hall and through a large door. The cafeteria had various mahogany tables scattered artistically under a canopy of a waterproof material, through which streams of sunlight were still able to penetrate.

"This is where we line up to get served our delicious meals. Lunch is of course a vital part of youth!" Naruto sighed then stood behind Lee, wondering if he could perhaps sneak away by saying he had to use the toilet. He was about to say as much, when he suddenly had the odd sensation of something warm rubbing against his back. He must have stood too close to the cafeteria's hot fryer. The warmth was quite comfortable. Naruto found himself leaning into the fryer, gently letting it scratch him. Unexpectedly, the fryer seemed to move down lower…much lower.

"Aaaah!" yelped Naruto, turning around to find himself face to face with another student. A male student.

"Why did you do that for?!" he asked, wishing his voice would lower by an octave or two.

The other boy was grinning ear to ear, before he leaned in, warm moist breath fanning Naruto's heated cheek.

"Because I wanted to." He purred, causing Naruto's mouth to drop open in shock at his audacity. A hundred comeback's whirled through his mind, all along the lines of _why don't you fuck off, you perverted-_

"Sai." Came an icy drawl from nearby. Both boys looked up, and Sai jumped away from Naruto as though he'd been savagely burnt.

"Sasuke. Did you need something?" asked Sai, voice much less confident than before. _Almost_…_fearful_ thought Naruto.

"Yeah, actually. I need you to get a life and stop perving on that kid." Naruto's ears burned, matching the colour of his cheeks. _Kid?_

Sai's eyes narrowed, "I didn't know he was one of your's. Seems Chikara's easier to get into than Sakura's pants these days, huh?"

Sasuke just looked at the boy. Blink. Blink. "You don't want to start this."

Sai paled visibly, inclined his head, and stalked away, all thoughts of lunch abandoned. Sasuke and Naruto were the only ones left in the line.

"Come on, you're sitting with us." Sasuke stated before turning around to walk to his table. Naruto finally snapped.

"NO." he said simply, infusing all the anger he could into that one syllable.

Sasuke paused- for a second. "Don't be a dobe. I told you to sit with us. You don't have to be embarrassed about what happened, you don't even need to thank me."

"I told you, NO. I'm not sitting with a teme who's got a giant stick up his ass; I was handling the situation perfectly fine before you showed up. And don't call me a dobe." He added as an afterthought.

This time Sasuke not only stopped, but also actually turned around to look at the boy. He was used to ordering around some of the most influential grown men in the country, yet here was this tiny thing, which not only didn't obey him, but also actually _opposed_ him. It made no sense. Incredulously, Sasuke stared at Naruto, for once at a loss for words.

Naruto bristled furiously under Sasuke's gaze, then picked up a lunch tray and made a beeline for Lee's table, leaving a flabbergasted teen behind him.

Slamming his tray down, Naruto pulled out a chair and plopped himself down noisily next to Lee. He began attacking his gourmet mushroom & crème risotto with furious stabs, muttering under his breath.

"Sorry to disturb you, Naruto, when you seem to be eating with such youthful vigour; but I couldn't help but notice that you seem rather agitated about something." Lee said after several minutes of this.

Naruto suddenly started choking; he'd forgotten Lee was sitting there at all, so focused had he been on imagining every piece of mushroom was Sasuke's face. After a few hard pats on his back, Naruto finally swallowed. "Thanks Lee. Oh, it's nothing. I just had a fight with that teme Sasuke."

Lee's eyes, if it were possible, widened even more. "Seriously, Naruto? I find that incredibly brave of you! You must be full of even more youth than I had previously imagined!"

"What I don't understand is, how did he get to be the king of the school? I don't see what's so great about him, he treats everybody as though they're nothing on him." Naruto went on as though he hadn't heard him.

"Well, I may be wrong, seeing as I don't pay too much attention to these things, but I do believe Naruto it is because he is the leader of the most powerful gang in Japan, also called Chikara."

Sai had mentioned that name. "Chikara? You mean, power?" Naruto asked.

Lee nodded wisely. "Yes, the direct translation of the word is indeed power. The initial founder of the gang was in fact Sasuke Uchiha's father, who ran it with Sasuke's older brother, Itachi. However, when Sasuke's parents died, Sasuke took control of Chikara."

So, Sasuke was an orphan. _Just like me_ thought Naruto. He was stunned. He could never have imagined that the pampered boy could have been through the same thing he had.

"Why didn't Itachi take control?"

"No one is really sure of the details, but it was rumoured that Itachi had had a big falling out with the Uchiha's. I'm not even sure where he is now, for he definitely doesn't live with his younger brother in his estate."

Naruto nodded, understanding. He looked over to the topic of their discussion's table. Sasuke was sitting right in the middle, surrounded by at least twenty people. But the only ones who he seemed to pay any attention to were three boys and two girls, all of who looked as though they belonged to this group of Konoha's elite, and knew it.

"Of course, being the leader of such an important group, it's a very dangerous position, no matter the power that comes with it. I imagine that Sasuke is probably the most protected of the students at the school. Everybody knows he arrives with several bodyguards to school every morning." Lee continued, "There have been several other gangs that have tried to usurp Chikara's power from the Uchiha's, but none have ever succeeded. The closest any single one has come to doing so was a gang called Akatsuki. They struck when Chikara was at its weakest, when Sasuke's parents died. However, Chikara managed to hold its ground, and stop Akatsuki in its tracks! Since then, Akatsuki has been operating with just a fraction of the power that they previously used to weld."

Naruto's brain was reeling from all the new information. "Who's the leader of Akatsuki?" he found himself asking.

Lee shrugged massively. "Nobody has ever known their true identity, and those who do certainly aren't going to share it. But I think we can all be thankful that Chikara managed to stop them. Akatsuki was not known for their kindness and displays of youth." He finished ominously.

Lee abruptly gestured towards Sasuke's table, in particular, at a boy with bright red hair and dark outlined eyes. "See that boy there? His name's Gaara." Naruto looked over, and recognised him as the one who had glared at him in Advanced English. "He used to be a member of Akatsuki."

Naruto stared at Lee, dumbfounded. "Then why the heck is he sitting over there with Sasuke, acting like he's one of his best friends?"

"He came to Chikara, begging to join them. He said that Akatsuki had ruined his life, and he was willing to give himself up to Sasuke."

"And Sasuke believed him, just like that?" Naruto shook his head in disbelief. Maybe Sasuke was stupider than he looked.

"Of course not Naruto! Gaara has had to deal with scepticism like yours for all the time he has been part of Chikara. But, he has proved himself time and time again by foiling many of Akatsuki's plans, and is in fact part of the reason why Chikara is still the most powerful gang in Japan! Sasuke now trusts him as much as any of the other members."

Naruto nodded, but still couldn't shake the feeling that there was something amiss with the ruby haired boy. Perhaps he had just misinterpreted the moment in the classroom? He shivered.

* * *

"Hey Sasuke, what just happened back there? I saw you talking to Uzumaki; he looked pretty pissed. Then he suddenly walked away, and you just stood there looking like a dog who'd sniffed one too many asses." Kiba said in his low growl.

"Thanks for the visual, dog breath." Ino cringed.

Sasuke scowled. He himself didn't really know what had just happened. All he could think about was the fact that he had ordered somebody to do something, and yet it hadn't been done.

"Nothing happened. That dobe just doesn't know how things run around here. He'll learn soon enough." Sasuke attempted to convince himself just as much as them.

Kiba shook his head. His canine teeth, inexplicably larger then was normal, were bared in a smirk. "If you want, you could always send me or Gaara to, you know…teach him a bit sooner?"

Sasuke's scowl deepened. He considered it. This was how things were always done; if anyone dared to contradict him, all he'd need to do was give his nod to Kiba or Gaara, and they would never think to oppose him again. On the other hand…

"We'll wait. Let's give the new kid a chance, shall we?" he finally answered.

Kiba let out a bark of laughter. "Whatever you say, boss."

Setting his tray down, Sasuke assumed his usual position in the centre of the group. Ignoring the customary throng of onlookers who flocked to their table every lunchtime, he nonchalantly picked at his food, lost in his own thoughts. Unbidden, an image of Naruto appeared before his mind's eye. Soundlessly, the boy was shouting at him, eyes glaring at him forcefully. Naruto's cheeks were flushed, his electric hair messy. Sasuke imagined an invisible cord reaching out and binding the boy, rendering him immobile. An invisible hand forcing his mouth shut, stifling any cries of protest. Then, suddenly, the hand became Sasuke's own, stroking a creamy cheek. The cords became his body, pinning Naruto, knees holding the boy's legs stationary. A weight seemed to drop in Sasuke's stomach, and he was vaguely aware of the fact that he had begun to salivate. An abrupt tightness around his pants alerted him that those weren't his only problems.

_Oh shit._ He thought, glad to be wearing a blazer that covered him so thoroughly.

"Sasuke, are you feeling alright? Your cheeks are really pink." Came a simpering voice from next to him. He shook his head at Sakura, assuring her silently that all was well.

Ino had heard what Sakura said, and turned to look at him too.

"Now that you mention it, you do look pretty flushed. Especially considering how pale you are most of the time."

"Look, just drop it. It's nothing." Sasuke said tightly. He picked up his fork and started shovelling pieces of pasta into his mouth in an attempt to prove his statement.

They looked at him once more, but let the matter rest.

Inside the Uchiha's head however, his thoughts whirled. It definitely wasn't nothing. He had never felt anything like this before.

On his trips around the world, girls constantly threw themselves at him, drawn to his power, not to mention his unquestionable good looks. They were like moths to a flame. Particularly this flame. And Sasuke knew how to use this to his advantage; no one had ever turned him down. There was, in fact, a long list of girls whose affections had amused him until he'd moved on to the next one.

There was Marie, from France. Short, brunette, with the small waist and tinkling laugh. She was too enthralled to talk to him when he took her out, but he knew she could never stop talking about him when he wasn't there.

There was Ebony, from Africa. She'd the longest legs he'd ever seen. Whenever he made a comment, she would always nod her head and quickly agree with him. The time when he'd jokingly said that he'd decided to get a sex change was no exception.

There was Bianca, from South America. Tall, strawberry-blonde, a tanned goddess. She obeyed everything he'd asked of her, and he'd often considered asking her to say the alphabet backwards while holding her tongue, just for the fun of it.

And the list went on. Countless girls. Some managed to keep his attention for more than a few weeks, most disappointed him. Once he got bored of one, there was always another willing to take their place; another one who thought they could be enough for him.

Then there were the fights.

"You bastard! You treat me like I'm your whore-"

"You say you love me, then I see you with her!"

And, even worse, the pleading.

"What did I do wrong? Just tell me-"

"Please don't go, Sasuke, I love you!"

It was just too much. He wanted more than any had been able to give them. It was pointless to try and explain it to them; he didn't even know how to explain this need to himself. He just knew he wanted more.

And that's where the bubblegum-haired girl named Sakura Haruno came in. She represented, to him, his temporary acceptance that nobody would ever be good enough. So he had accepted her years long request for a relationship, and had been seeing her for 4 months now. This was the longest he'd ever been seeing anybody. He felt no attachment for her, apart from the standard respect she earned from being the daughter of a prominent businessman and the muted companionship resulting from attending the same schools all their lives. Other than that, she was a means of stopping other girls from trying to make a pass at him.

Which is why, in Sasuke's mind, his sudden, inexplicable desire for the dobe was such a concern.

No, this was definitely not nothing. This was something new.

* * *

Naruto groaned as he looked down at his timetable for the last time that day. There, inscribed neatly in a box on the paper, was two words which spelt his doom: Extension Mathematics.

He had been perfectly fine with the subject- up until around the 7th grade. Back then, his brain could still discern some vestiges of how his teacher had managed to get the answer written on the board. But after that, it all went downhill. He still remembered sifting through his brains when asked by his Iruka sensei how to apply the quadratic formula in an equation. His response, "Hey Iruka sensei, if you give me the answer I'll treat you to ramen later" hadn't exactly won him any awards.

So it was with a heavy hand with which he finally swung open the door to EXM 3. There were two things he noticed straight away. Firstly, a tall man with silver- grey hair and a black mask that concealed half his face writing on the board. The second was that this was apparently the only other class he shared with Sasuke Uchiha. He was determined not to make eye contact, and walked purposely towards the third row. These tables, unlike the ones in Advanced English, were designed to seat two people. He'd chosen the table diagonally across from Sasuke; though he would've liked to sit further away, perhaps in the first or second rows, he'd read the title on the board, 'Piece-meal Functions & Graphs', and had decided this was not an option.

Even so, he could feel the boy's eyes on him the whole while as he got out his textbooks. His lungs seemed to start playing ping-pong with his heart in his chest; it was jumping so much. Taking a deep breath, he diverted his attention to the man now facing the class at the front of the room.

Soundlessly, the man pointed a long finger at the board, where two words were written in printed handwriting, Kakashi Sensei. Naruto took this to be his teacher's name.

"This is the first time I am teaching any of you. Let me assure you my classes will be completely different to the Standard level of mathematics that you have all been learning. I might as well tell you now; if you choose not to pay attention and complete all tasks assigned to you, I will not chase you up and give you a lecture that we both know won't do a bit of good. Instead, one period I will come up to you, tap you on the shoulder, and say 'You can no longer remain in this class, your grades have slipped by too much.'" Kakashi spoke in an almost lazy voice, though at his words several students, including Naruto, gulped. This was clearly a teacher not to be messed with.

"Apart from that, I hope we can have a wonderful year together." He finished brightly, eyes crinkling in a smile, though Naruto couldn't tell behind the mask.

With that, Kakashi began to call the roll. He paused at random names, giving certain students an once-over before continuing down the list.

"Uchiha Sasuke." He called, raising his head to peer at the fourth row. Sasuke stared straight back as he too was scrutinized, the first student not to break eye contact first.

"It's a pleasure to have you in my class, Sasuke." Kakashi said slowly.

Sasuke made no move to return the statement, and Kakashi went back to the roll.

"Uzumaki Naruto." The head popped up again, this time focusing on the blond in the third row. Naruto too stared back at his teacher, determined not to break eye contact first. He felt his cheeks betraying him though, heating up under the man's gaze.

Finally, it was over.

"It's a pleasure, Naruto." He said for the second time that lesson.

The rest of the class proceeded without incidence, if Naruto ignored the fact that he could feel the Uchiha's eyes boring into his neck the whole time. He wondered at the attention being granted to him by the other boy. Had he really over-stepped the line during lunch? He felt his palms becoming moist at the thought. Sasuke was apparently the most powerful person in their whole school, and he had managed to make him his enemy right on the first day. _Nice going, knucklehead_, he scolded himself, _if you aren't careful he'll get his friends to beat the crap out of you. If he hasn't told them already, that is. _Naruto felt his pulse rise once more, and focused on watching the clock so he could be the first one out of the classroom. He really didn't need this shit today.

On cue, the shrill cry of the bell sounded, and Naruto, bag packed and slung over his shoulder already, leapt out of his seat and almost flew out the door.

* * *

Sasuke looked up just in time to see a tuft of blond hair rushing out of the classroom. He smirked, guessing correctly at the reason behind the boy's hasty departure.

_Don't worry, dobe. I'm not that far gone…yet._ the brunette's mind supplied the last word for him. However, the warmth still weighed heavily in the pit of his stomach, had in fact increased just from watching the boy for the last forty minutes. Sasuke's smirk deepened; he knew how to relieve himself.

"Sakura, you're getting a lift home with me." He ignored the looks of longing flung at him from all the other girls, not surprised when Sakura gave him an eager nod.

With that, Sasuke walked out the door and into the front courtyard. His ride was waiting for him at the gates. A man in a black suit swiftly opened the door for the boy, and Sasuke smoothly entered the back seat. The pink haired girl slithered in beside him, latching herself onto his arm. "To Miss Haruno's first, Mr Uchiha?" came a voice from the front. Sasuke nodded his assent. He rolled up the barrier between the front and back of the limo, stopping his driver from leering at Sakura. Sasuke looked out his window through the tinted glass. He could see his reflection, and Sakura's up to her waist. Her skirt was hitched high up her thigh, exposing creamy flesh. Without taking his eyes off the window, Sasuke lifted his hand and began to stroke her thigh in circles. He heard her breath quicken next to him, and her grip on his arm slackened somewhat. His mind once more conjured up images of a blond boy with sky blue eyes and tanned skin. His hand stroked harder.

It was not long after that when Sakura's aroused groans transformed into an ostensibly male guttural moan. The imagined sounds brought a fresh wave of excitement to Sasuke, who could feel his member growing under the dark material of his trousers.

Sakura noticed this, and, encouraged, tiptoed her fingers across his thigh to grasp him in her palm. She was rewarded with a deep growl from the boy, and marvelled at the progress; she had never procured any sound from him before. She smiled internally; _maybe he really did miss me in the holidays._ Sakura, with well- practiced fingers, undid Sasuke's trousers so she could better feel him.

Sasuke was still resolutely looking at their reflections, not turning even when he felt the girl begin to give him a hand job through his underwear. Had he bothered to consider her feelings in the matter, he might have spared her a glance. But he was just not that type of person.

"Aaah…" he let out a moan for the second time, highly unlike him. But it wasn't his fault, it was those tanned smooth fingers that kept kneading and pulling him relentlessly. Sasuke gulped as he felt the heat in his member rise until he felt dizzy. _Already? You've got to be shitting me-_

"Nnnnh!" emerged the final cry out of the boy's mouth as he came. His breath was shallow, and after the short-lived euphoria of his climax he came crashing down back to reality. The reality where he had just allowed himself to be jerked off by his girlfriend while he fantasised about another boy. Said girlfriend was smiling elatedly next to him, whispering words which made no sense to him at this moment.

He nodded at her, watching as she stepped out of the car and proceeded to her estate's front door.

Sakura's face was flushed with excitement. She had never seen Sasuke lose so much control like that ever before. Unconsciously, the girl with the bubble gum hair and too short skirt skipped to her room, humming what sounded suspiciously like the bridal waltz.

As the limo drove off, a pale boy with coal black hair sat staring disgustedly at his own reflection.

* * *

**A/N:** oof sasuke u are one screwed up dude. well, i hope u guys enjoyed that chappie! hopefully i can get the next one up soon.

Im reconsidering when to put in the field trip. half of me is like "god dammit, just put them on the island already!" while the other half is saying "NO! you must build up their relationship at konoha first!" ; ahaha, i guess we'll all just have to wait and see which half wins, eh?

One last thing! (or two, actually) I am really stumped on this, so i decided to get some opinion on it: would you guys like the whole gay thing to be an issue in the story? & would you like Sasuke's feelings of inferiority to Itachi to be something major in the story?

Got something to say? Hit that review button!


	3. Joining The Dots

**A/N:** yayness, its chapter 3! :throws confetti around: major plot clues here, readers, i wonder if u can begin to figure out what i am intending to do...

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. Sasuke does xD.

* * *

**C **h a p t e r **T **h r e e: **J **o i n i n g **T **h e **D** o t s

* * *

_"Do I have to catch you out  
To know whats on your mind  
Well Cleopatra died for egypt  
What a waste of time  
The white ones the red ones  
And some you cant disguise  
The twisted twos that have the news  
Cant hide it in your eyes  
Lies Lies Lies"_

_- "Lies" by The Click Five_

* * *

The figure waited outside a tall oak door, impatient for his sudden meeting with the man inside. Breathing deeply, the person lifted their head, leaning it against the cold wood. He was able to snatch bits of the conversation taking place within.

"…and the preparations have all gone according to plan." Finished off a deep voice.

"Excellent." Came the reply, in a voice that made the fine hair on the boy's neck stand on end. "We have waited very long for this, too long. If all goes as anticipated, you will be rewarded."

The boy heard the other man collapse onto the floor, presumably in a bow. He stood back as he heard feet approaching the door, and knew it was his turn.

"Enter." Spoke the chilling voice, commanding him in. He brushed past the exiting man, walking into a small dimly lit room. A man with an elbow length river of black hair was sitting on a mat, half his face cast in shadow. "I didn't expect to see you here. What brings this pleasure?"

"You know what." The boy replied, his words hiding his fear. "Why did you send him?"

The man shifted, not out of discomfort, rather out of amusement. "This is far too important for any mistakes-"

"There won't be any mistakes!"

"Then you needn't worry about his presence at all. He doesn't know, and he won't be told until I say the word." The man drew forward a pale, long finger-nailed hand. Enclosed in it was a letter. The boy reached out and snatched it from him.

"Do not forget who you are. Or with whom you're dealing." The icy voice continued. "That will be all."

Seething at the dismissal, the boy nonetheless inclined his body into a bow and turned to leave.

Once outside, he glared down at the letter. He had always thought he knew his place in this affair, but now. Now he wasn't so sure.

* * *

"Step on the crack, break your father's back. Step on the line, you're doing fine!" two girls sang to each other as they skipped down the pavement, holding hands. Behind them, the boy Naruto was walking briskly, bag slung haphazardly over his right shoulder.

Swinging the black slouch over to his front, Naruto ruffled his hand inside to pull out an orange drink bottle. Slurping from it deeply, his feet stopped outside a tall building. With a final smack of his lips, Naruto returned the bottle to his bag, and proceeded to walk down the small pathway to his apartment complex. Pausing at the glass doors, he extracted his key from his pocket and unlocked them, striding over to the complex's elevator. It was in constant need of repair, and Naruto crossed his fingers.

"Today is not my day." He sighed, noticing the handwritten "Out Of Order" sign leaning against the smooth surface. He turned towards the stairs, beginning his long ascent to apartment 9B, taking them two at a time.

Five minutes later, the panting blond was at his front door, off-white and with a small metallic plate on it, which read "9B- Naruto Uzumaki". Unlocking it, Naruto strolled in and dumped his bag onto the kitchen counter and removed his tie. He kicked off his shoes and undid the top button of his shirt, revelling in the cool breeze that floated in from the lone window opposite him.

His apartment had three rooms: his bedroom, a bathroom and a kitchen, which connected to an open area with two couches and a TV that passed as a lounge room. Not bad considering that he didn't have to pay any rent or maintenance fees.

Naruto glanced over at the big brass clock that hung on top of the couch. It was four o' clock.

_Fell in love with a girl Fell in love once and almost completely_-

Came a sudden sound from the front of his bag.

_She turns and says, 'Are you alright?' I said, "I must be fine coz my heart's still beating."-_

Naruto got up and took out the cause of the sound, his mobile. A large picture of a yellow envelope had appeared on the screen, implying that he had just received a text message.

'_Hey kiddo ) Ramen Shack on 4__th__. My treat.'_

Naruto glanced up at the sender, and snorted. It was Iruka, the only grown man he knew who still used emoticons. And better yet, there was free ramen involved. Rushing to his bedroom, Naruto pulled off his school uniform and flung on a black pair of jeans and a wife beater. Over that he shrugged on a leather jacket. Where he was going, he needed to look tough.

Stuffing his mobile into his pocket along with his house keys and froggy wallet, Naruto raced out the door, excited to see his old friend after so long.

At the pavement, he took a left, the opposite way he had walked to school that morning. After about five minutes, he had reached the entrance to the metro. He walked up to a grouchy looking lady sitting behind a counter. Her eyes perked up as she saw him, taking in his sky blue eyes and wide smile.

"Hi, can I please get a Child Return to Kyuubi?" he asked the woman.

Her eyebrows quirked together at the mention of the location, but she didn't comment on it. "Age please?"

"16."

She nodded, and typed in his request, taking his change and giving him his ticket.

Naruto nodded his thanks, and proceeded through the ticket barriers. The train journey took him ten minutes, and he hopped off when he saw the dilapidated sign "Kyuubi", and the announcer's voice rung through the train, "Kyuubi Station".

The sun was low in the sky at this point, and Naruto began to walk out of the station and towards 4th Street, where Iruka had promised to meet him. He breathed in the familiar sights he saw, not having walked through this part of the city in a while. The streets were littered with garbage, and homeless people were sitting along the sidewalks. He could hear the distant roar of a police siren. On one street corner, he could see a dark man opening his coat to another, revealing a large array of assorted bags of powder.

He picked up his pace. Turning right, he entered 4th Street. Restaurants were open on all sides, and Naruto was bombarded with a tempting medley of various aromas. Walking through, he finally arrived at a homely place, creatively named the Ramen Shack.

Once inside, Naruto squealed as a pair of strong arms engulfed him, and his head was pushed against a warm chest.

"Iruka Sensei!" he exclaimed happily when he was released, taking in the fatherly figure next to him. Iruka had his brown hair tied up in a ponytail. He was wearing green cargo pants and a black shirt with a green sleeveless jacket over it. The scar on his nose glistened brown, and Naruto had forgotten how big it was.

"It's good to see you Naruto." Iruka beamed down at him, ushering him forward onto a seat next to him.

"Your favourite." Said the Shack owner, bustling forward to place a steaming bowl of ramen in front of the blond boy. Naruto grinned, almost choking as he began to shovel the noodles into his mouth. He looked up to find Iruka staring at him, a dazed expression on his face.

"What?"

"Nothing. You are exactly the same as always, Naruto." Iruka replied, shaking his head warmly. "So I heard you started at that Konoha Elite School."

Naruto nodded. "Today was my first day." He must have sounded bitter, because Iruka asked him,

"Don't like it?"

"It's just so different. I've never seen anything like it before, except in those movies. Everyone's loaded there, and they act like they own the world because of that. I just feel like, how do I fit in?"

"Don't let it get you down, kiddo. People with money are always like that. Just give it a bit of time. They might all seem like their heads need some serious deflating, but I'm sure that they're not bad people." Iruka said thoughtfully, "I guess you can just be grateful that he gave you this opportunity. You didn't want to stay down here all your life, aye?"

Naruto nodded in agreement. "Orochimaru has been incredibly generous to me. If it weren't for him, I don't know what I would've done. He saved me, gave me a place to stay, everything. I owe him my life."

Iruka reached over to ruffle Naruto's hair. "You'll do fine."

Naruto smiled, turning his attention back to his noodles. "And what about you? How have you been?"

Iruka laughed. "I'm good, Naruto. I've found work tutoring kids."

"What, out here?" he said, shocked.

"You know I've never been in this business for the money." Naruto knew. Iruka could easily get five times as much working somewhere else, but it seemed the man never thought of himself, only others. "They're a good bunch. As a matter of fact, here comes one now."

Naruto looked to his left, watching as a small boy with brown hair and a blue cape tied around his neck walked up to them.

"Konohamaru, I'd like you to meet a past student of mine, Naruto." Iruka said to the kid.

Konohamaru looked up, making eye contact with Naruto, who waved down at him. The boy's eyes narrowed suspiciously, and he blew Nartuto a raspberry before running out of the Ramen Shack.

Naruto watched, mouth open, and Iruka was biting back his laughter. "Don't mind him. He's actually quite polite most of the time."

"Just me then, huh?" Naruto said, before spotting another familiar face.

"Hinata!" he called over the din in the shack, pleased when she heard him. Hinata had pale skin and icy grey eyes, contrasting sharply with her dark shortly cropped hair. She waved to him and stood to walk over.

"Naruto-kun! It is so good to see you again." She said, helplessly formal as always.

"And who's this?" came a deep gravely voice from behind her, and Naruto jumped from its coldness.

"Ah, forgive me. Naruto-kun, this is Kankuro. He is my-"

"I'm her boyfriend." Kankuro interrupted, extending his hand forward to shake Naruto's. Naruto could feel himself being measured up. He glanced over at Hinata, who was biting her lip, an idiosyncrasy that Naruto related to being nervous.

"Good to meet you." He nodded at the man, for he looked at least five or six years his senior. Naruto still felt awkward; this was not the type of person he'd have expected for Hinata's boyfriend.

"Kankuro, I went to school with Naruto-kun. We were good friends when we were younger." Hinata continued. Naruto heard the slight droop in her voice, and berated himself for not visiting the girl more often.

Kankuro nodded. "Is he-?"

"No!" Hinata said suddenly, startling Naruto. He had never seen her raise her voice before. Hinata had always been a very soft-spoken person. He wondered what Kankuro's question was.

"Um, am I missing something?" he asked them.

Hinata laughed nervously. "Oh, it's nothing. Just something silly. Anyway, Naruto-kun, how have you been?"

They made small talk for a while, before Naruto glanced down at his watch.

"Oh shit! Sorry Hinata, I've got to go." He apologised, waving farewell to Iruka, too.

Hinata nodded. "Come see us again soon, Naruto-kun."

She watched as the blond exited the Shack, a million thoughts running through her mind.

"Naruto", she sighed to herself, "there's something so important to tell, but I can not tell you. At least not yet. Be careful."

* * *

At Konoha High, a slight breeze blew through the many courtyards, catching a few leaves and debris in an updraft. All the corners of the school were shrouded in darkness; after all, it had been five hours since the bell had rang, signalling the end of another school day.

All corners that is, except for one lone room on the first floor. Inside, a woman sat, elbows against a mahogany table, chin rested against her palm. She was deep in thought.

The woman had remarkably smooth skin and pale blonde hair, all of which belied her true age. Her chest rose and fell slowly as she contemplated how to handle the matter at hand.

Tsunade was not a woman who took to being threatened lightly. She had faced a fair amount of struggles in her life, but none of them seemed to adequately prepare her for this one.

There was a gentle rapping, and a figure opened the door labelled 'Principal's Office', letting it shut soundlessly behind them.

"Shizune!" breathed Tsunade. "I thought you left hours ago."

The woman named Shizune raised a hand to tuck a strand of her short brunette hair behind her ear.

"Yes, I did. But I had to come back for some papers, and then I saw your light on. What are _you_ still doing here, Lady Tsunade?"

"Ruminating on life." Tsunade said vaguely.

Shizune walked over and took a seat opposite her. "Anything I can help with?"

Tsunade surveyed her. "It's that new kid, Naruto Uzumaki."

"Oh, him? I saw him walking around the halls today, with a very lost and confused look on his face." Shizune smiled. "Surely he hasn't gotten himself into trouble already?"

"No, he hasn't." Tsunade agreed. "But do you know who was the one who filed his application to enter Konoha was?"

Shizune shook her head; that information was strictly classified.

"Orochimaru."

Shizune gasped. "Oh, no. You don't think?"

"I don't know what to think. Orochimaru himself sent me a note, telling me to let the boy skip the waiting period and come here this year."

"And you couldn't have refused?"

"I tried. And that's when things got nasty." Tsunade shuddered. "He…he threatened me w-with Jiraiya."

Shizune launched herself upon the woman, embracing her. She had never heard Tsunade sound so broken up, except when talking about Jiraiya.

"Orochimaru wouldn't dare do something like that. Not again."

"And why not?" Tsunade said, pushing the other woman off of her. "I know him, Shizune. He feels nothing. He is not human. I know he took Jiraiya from me, and feels no remorse."

"And I wont let him do that to me again." She continued, reverting back to her usual fearless self. "I let him bring Naruto into Konoha, I played his game."

After a brief pause, Tsunade spoke again.

"Now all we can do is wait for him to make his next move."

* * *

"Sir, somebody called. They request a meeting with you in an hour." Came a clear voice from the telecom device fixed into a table.

Sasuke groaned audibly, running his smooth pale fingers through the strands of black silk on his head. There was a shot glass filled with vodka lying next to him, and he was peripherally aware that he wasn't wearing anything besides his boxers.

Grabbing the remote, he turned on the flat panel LCD hanging on the wall opposite. He flipped through the channels, stopping when he heard his name.

"Sasuke Uchiha, once again included in the top 10 of Forbes legendary list of Most Intriguing Men."

Sasuke snorted, as he was met with a blown up picture of his own face, bangs covering one side, eyes staring mysteriously at the camera. He shook his head, thinking it was useless shows like these that made him such a target for desperate girls.

Sasuke glanced outside the enormous palatial windows that covered one side of this room. He could see thousands of stars winking at him in the midnight sky, and he wondered who the intruder to his peace was. Carefully, he rose off the black custom designed love seat he had collapsed upon, and walked out into the hall. A few moments later, he had changed into a casual suit, though he could not bring himself to put on the tie or blazer. Sasuke splashed some cold water on his face, waiting for his vision to sharpen, before heading downstairs into one of his boardrooms, where the guest was undoubtedly waiting.

As he entered, the guest bowed deeply. "I am sorry to disturb you at your estate so late, Uchiha- sama."

Sasuke took a seat on a leather business chair, waving his fingers to signal that it was fine. "What have you come to show me, Kabuto?"

Kabuto didn't comment on Sasuke's bluntness. He withdrew from his briefcase several files, passing them to the Uchiha.

"As you will remember, you had assigned me to be on the lookout for any suspicious activity. It will please you to note that, as predicted, the downfall of Akatsuki those years ago seems to have deterred any efforts by other gangs to attempt to overtake Chikara."

Sasuke nodded. This was nothing new.

"However?" Sasuke looked up.

Kabuto continued. "However, recently, just over the last few months, we have noticed a few minor changes, and have heard some rumours. Our spies gave most of this information to us down near Kyuubi. Individually, the random bits of information mean nothing. But we have been careful, and have compiled several reports on the matter."

Sasuke leaned forward.

"And well, it all seems to point towards one thing. Akatsuki seems to be on the move once more."

Sasuke breathed out, his eyes narrowing. "And you are sure about this?"

Kabuto hesitated, and then nodded. "Nothing major has happened so far. In fact, you'd have to look very closely to even have noticed what we have. Which is, though crime rates have decreased, the crimes committed seem to now follow some purpose. Individuals are no longer just thieving for themselves. It's as though they are all following some blueprint, some set of instructions."

Kabuto's words came out faster now. "There was a hold-up involving metal alloys at three different ports along the coast, all in the last 4 months. The alloys were all stolen from different companies, though they were all the same metal. Coincidence? Boats have been hijacked from those very same locations, all cargo carriers. The list goes on, all seemingly unconnected crimes, until you look at them together."

Sasuke had, if possible, turned paler as Kabuto had been talking. He rifled through the reports, and came to a dead stop at the last page.

"Is this…?" he whispered.

"Yes." Kabuto whispered back. "It took the better part of this month to track down who had it, and convince them to give it to me, but yes, that is it. It's imprinted on one of the metal alloys."

Sasuke slid his hand into the plastic sleeve and extracted the object. It was a smooth slab of iron, engraved with a Gothic capital letter A with a snake wrapped around it.

Akatuski's symbol.

"This has got to be a joke." Sasuke's mind offered up the only excuse it could.

Kabuto didn't have a response to that, so he simply waited, wondering what the Uchiha was thinking.

Finally, Sasuke looked up. "Get all the information you can on what else Akatsuki is up to. I want data on all major crimes. Get your spies to look into Kyuubi, Hokage, Tsuniki; all the information hotspots. We can't do anything until we find out what they're up to. I can't imagine that they think they can challenge us once again, but I'd rather not take a chance."

Kabuto nodded briskly, bowed and left.

That night, Sasuke couldn't sleep. His thoughts were plagued with images of snakes, and the sounds of a woman screaming.

* * *

**A/N: **and the plot thickens...to a slightly more honey- like consistency...(sorry, tis the effect of writing on an empty stomach :P )

And haha, if any of u were wondering, no, there was no particular reason Sasuke was only in his boxers with vodka next to him. The image just came to me, and it was pretty hot.

Naruto's ringtone: 'Fell in love with a girl' by The White Stripes (best song to jump and sing along too :D)

Not much SasuNaru in this chappie, but I am trying to build up a reasonable plot. Hopefully, this gave u some background info on Naruto, as his past will slowly be revealed throughout the story.

Show RBW sum luvvin, leave a review :3.


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